The Harlot is Gods Unfaithful Spouse – “a Compromised Church”
Intro: Well morning friends and visitors. My name is Matt Johnson and we are currently working our way through Revelation. But before we look at Revelation 17-18, we are having a short EXCURSUS to consider the Old Testament background to the Harlot of Babylon. So please pray…
Prayer: Well lets begin with Revelations description of the Harlot of Babylon (Slide 2; Rev.17:2-3). Now who is this entity? We’ve already seen that THE WOMAN clothed with the sun, moon and stars in Revelation 12 represented Israel. We also know THE VIRGIN BRIDE in Revelation 19 is the Christian church. So who is this less noble woman? Well today I want to suggest that the harlot of Babylon is really THE APOSTATE CHURCH. The harlot who is now killing Christians is actually some sort of institutional, quasi “CHRISTIAN CHURCH” that puts the authority of the kings of the earth, before the authority of Jesus.
Now in the history of Christendom the two most common suggestions for THE IDENTITY of the harlot of Babylon is that she is either A)spiritually dead Israel or B) she is spiritually dead Roman Catholicism. Those are the two most common suggestions. Now Roman Catholics tend to point their finger at the Jews and say harlot. Meanwhile Protestants tend to point the finger at Catholics and say harlot. And these days Pentecostal churches often point at mainline Protestant churches and say harlot. But as the old saying goes – when you point a finger at someone else – there are three fingers pointing back at you. Herein lies THE PROBLEM with identifying the harlot of Babylon who is the most mysterious entity in the entire book of Revelation.
The institutional church is the keeper of Holy Scripture. So what institutional church is ever going to identify itself as the harlot of Babylon. THE PROBLEM is it’s not good for business. Its not good marketing. So the harlot of Babylon tends to be the most elusive and least spoken about character in the entire book of Revelation.
But let me say the harlot of Babylon is by far the MOST DANGEROUS entity in all of Revelation. It’s easy for the church to see the danger in the beast and stay away. It’s hard for the church to see the danger looking back at them in the mirror…
The first person to really identify that the harlot of Babylon was the church was Martin Luther in 1520. Luther wrote a famous Protestant treatise called (Slide 2); The Babylonian Captivity of the Church. (READ). Now this is a truly famous reformation DOCUMENT. When Martin Luther published this document, one week later the Catholic Church published a papal bull declaring him a heretic. This (among other things) led to the Protestant Reformation.
BUT PLEASE NOTE that when Luther speaks of the Babylonian captivity of the church, he really means THE CHURCH’S captivity of THE CHURCH. He is speaking of the hierarchy, the systems and the doctrine in the Roman Catholic church enslaving the ordinary Christians. So from Luther onwards most Protestant churches identified the Roman Catholic church as THE HARLOT OF BABYLON. But what these Protestant Churches failed to realise is that as they themselves grew in power and started to dance with the kings of the world – they were also becoming harlots…
Point 1: Gods Chosen People were meant to be Gods Wife/Bride
Show: Ezek.36.1-3, ++ (Slides 3-5)
Explain: Well THIS CHAPTER speaks of Israel as the original harlot of Babylon. That does NOT mean Israel is the Harlot of Babylon in the book of Revelation. But I am identifying Israel as the Harlot of Babylon in the Old Testament. As this passage points out – Israel played the harlot with the Philistines, the Assyrians and ultimately Babylon. THE QUESTION IS – typologically speaking (types and antitypes) who is the spiritual equivalent of Israel in the New Testament?
Well as we begin I want to ask you, how does Ezekiel describe Gods relationship with Israel in this passage? Who is God to Israel? Who is Israel to God? (PAUSE). That’s right, God is the husband and Israel is the wife. Now Ezekiel 16 begins by talking about the people of Israel as an unwanted child. When she was born no one washed her or cleaned her properly. But God saw this helpless baby, took her into his care and she grew up to become a mature woman.
Now when Israel had become a mature woman (Ezekiel 16:8) says God entered into a covenant with her. God says that at this point; “you became mine”. Now this is talking about the Mosaic Covenant at Mt Sinai. When Israel had matured as a nation God led them out of Egypt to Mt Sinai and entered into a covenant with them. Now a covenant is simply a formal agreement or contract. God promised to love Israel, protect Israel and provide for Israel. Then Israel promised to honour God, worship God and obey God. In this sense – Gods covenant with Israel was like a marriage covenant. That’s why Ezekiel describes God and Israel as husband and wife. Now the minute – God married Israel he loved her, blessed her and turned her into a Queen. It was a spectacular honour for Israel – that simply arose from being married to the King of Kings. God was sharing His glory with His beloved wife. This meant the Queen suddenly had a higher honour and status than the ordinary kings of the earth The blessing was obvious for all to see. So as verse 14 – says her fame spread among the nations.
Apply: THE POINT IS, in the Old Testament God entered into a husband-wife like relationship with Israel. But as you can see in verse 15 – Israel started to use her FAME and GOOD LOOKS to work as a prostitute. So (verse 32) – God accuses Israel of being an adulterous wife who prefers the love of strangers, than her own husband.
Now when we come to the New Testament we have to ask who is the spiritual equivalent of Israel? Who does KING JESUS have a husband-wife relationship with? (PAUSE). That’s right it’s THE CHURCH. King Jesus entered into a marriage like covenant with Christians. This is very clear in Ephesians 5 – where we read that husbands and wives should relate to one another as Jesus relates the church. We also read in 2 Corinthians (Slide 8; 2Cor.11:2). Now please understand that Revelation (as an entire book) is building towards the marriage of Jesus and the church. In Revelation 19 it says (Slide 9; Rev.19:7). Also again, (Slide 10; Rev.19:9).
In the history of the world – there are only TWO GROUPS of people who have entered into a husband-wife like relationship with God. The first were the Jews. The second is the church. So these are the only two groups of people that could potentially A) be unfaithful to God and B) commit adultery with the kings of the earth. SO, THE HARLOT (riding on the beast) in Revelation 17-19 is either 1) unfaithful Israel or 2) an unfaithful church. But as we’ve seen in Revelation these two people groups are beginning to blur to form one faithful bride. THROUGH GREAT TRIBULATION God is forming one faithful people (out of Jews and Gentiles) – who sing one song – as they await the wedding of the Lamb. But for that bride to be ready for Jesus, the unfaithful ADULTERERS and HARLOTS among her – must be removed.
Point 2: Gods Chosen People became Spiritual Adulterers & Prostitutes
Show: Slides 10-11
Explain: Well as Israel grew in fame she started to play the harlot. The more God blessed her, the more the nations became interested in her. So they started to proposition her. They started to propose political covenants and economic contracts with Israel that God had forbidden. Straight after God entered into His marriage covenant with Israel – God prohibited such relationships. IN EXODUS 23 God says to Israel (Slide 7; Ex.23:31-32). So God was clear that Israel could not enter into covenants with THE KINGS of the nations or THE GODS of the nations.
But as Israel grew to become a beautiful and powerful woman she found all the nations were starting to flirt with her. She liked it. It was nice to dine and dance with the kings, princes and powerbrokers of the world. Gradually she became accustomed with their cultures, their gods and their philosophies. So to keep the Kings of the earth happy she began to moderate some of her speech and behaviour to keep the relationship alive. But the more Israel danced with the Kings of the earth, the more unfaithful she was becoming to God. Of course, she never meant TO CHEAT on God. It all started out innocent enough – just eating some non-kosher food AND not keeping the Sabbath. But before very long, one thing led to another and Israel found herself in bed with the kings of the earth and their gods…
So like the kings of the earth – she started promoting 1) an idolatry in all the high places of Israel that 2) served her purposes rather than Gods purposes. It was now about the Queens worship, rather than the Kings worship. IN THIS WAY the harlot became exactly like the beast. She was promoting a false type of religion that oriented people to obey her instead of the true God. BUT THE DIFFERENCE was very, very subtle – because the people were now A) obeying and worshiping the Queen, instead of B) obeying and worshipping the King. It was such a subtle change – most people didn’t even notice the change…
Apply: Now as this started to take place (especially among the powerbrokers of Israel) Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel started to point out the apostasy. A remnant of faithful Israelites started to point out the adultery and idolatry in Israel. But the powerbrokers in Israel didn’t like this – so they started to turn on Gods faithful children to silence them. And just like that Israel started to shed the blood of Israel. Just read the stories of Jeremiah, Isaiah and most the prophets. It was terrible. In fact when it comes to the bloodshed of Gods true children the harlot may be worse than the beast. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 23 (Slides 13-14; Matt.23:35,37). Who is Jesus blaming for the shedding of the blood of all the righteous prophets – the harlot or the beast? (PAUSE) So Jesus must also avenge the blood shed by the harlot, not just the beast…
Now as we’ve seen the New Testament EQUIVALENT of Israel is the church. And sadly, the established church has regularly played the harlot. When God blessed the early church – it wasn’t long before we were rubbing shoulders with the kings of the world. All of a sudden the church had sufficient power to convince the Emperor Constantine to make Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380AD. GOOD THING OR BAD THING? Well the Roman Catholic church soon identified JUDAISM as a rival religion. The Catholic Church then forced many Jews to accept a very Gentile form of Christianity or be persecuted. Although Christianity came from the Jews – the Jews, (even Christian Jews) were labelled second class citizens and discrimination was officially permitted by the church for the Jews were the God-killers. It was only in 1965 – that the Roman Catholic Church officially apologised for their antisemitism.
But during the middle ages it wasn’t just the Jews who were in trouble. THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH had acquired so much wealth, power and influence that anyone who challenged them (even Christian kings and Christian priests) found themselves losing their heads. Blood began to be spilt – en masse.
JANS HUS who was a Catholic Priest was burned at the stake simply for calling the church to obey Gods Word. Similarly, the Catholic priest JOHN WYCLIFFE was declared a heretic for calling the church to obey Gods Word. The Christian followers of Wycliffe called the LOLLARDS were then persecuted terribly and their blood was shed by the church.
Then the Protestant Reformation began in the 1500’s. At this point Martin Luther started to IDENTIFY the Roman Catholic Church as the harlot of Babylon. But THE POPE didn’t want to acknowledge the authority of Gods Word in the Bible and much blood was shed. People claiming to be Christians were killing Christians. It was terrible.
But the new Protestants who were quickly gaining power in Europe were no better than the Roman Catholics. Just take the Anglican Church for instance. When the Reformation began many Christians wanted a more pure form of Christianity in England. But Henry VIII just wanted a divorce. He only wanted enough reformation in England to break away from Rome’s power and take the Popes position of authority. So Henry VIII allowed a little bit of reformation and then claimed to be the spiritual head of the Anglican Church. But many Christians started to point out the Church of England wasn’t really obeying Gods Word either, and so the bloodshed began again. The number of great, godly Christians locked in jail, burnt at the stake and beheaded by the Anglican Church should not be underestimated. They weren’t heretics. Most of them were calling for more obedience to God. So in 1662 the Anglican Church excommunicated 2000 of their most faithful, biblical ministers because they wouldn’t obey the state. The harlot did what the beasts said and sacrificed Gods faithful children. Now those who were excommunicated then formed the Presbyterian Church or they went to America as puritans. So the cycle of accumulating blessing, power and influence started all over again and it wasn’t long before many of these new denominations were also persecuting Gods faithful children. I hope your beginning to see the identity of the harlot. I hope you are beginning to see what we should expect in the last days…
Point 3: Gods Chosen People will also Face the Avenger of Blood
Show: Ezek.16:35-39 (Slides 15-17)
Explain: Well as you can see God CONDEMNS APOSTATE ISRAEL and especially the leaders of apostate Israel for three things. FIRST, they have committed spiritual adultery. They have entered into covenants and agreements with the kings of the earth that has compromised their relationship with God. SECOND, they have promoted an idolatrous version of Gods worship. They still say YAHWEH, YAHWEH or ADIONI, ADONI to God. But they have now blended Gods Word in the Bible with other religions, cultures and philosophies. THIRD, they are now persecuting and killing Gods children who are trying to be faithful to Gods Word. So there is going to be an avenging of blood. God is not only A) going to spill the blood of THE BEAST for spilling his children’s blood. God is also B) going to spill the blood of the harlot for spilling his faithful children’s blood.
But incredibly (if you look at verse 39 and following) the harlot’s blood is going to be spilt by her adulterous lovers. God is not going to do it himself. INSTEAD, after the kings of the earth have had their way with the harlot – they themselves will turn on her and condemn her as an unfaithful whore. So while the harlot enjoyed a time of riding on the beasts back, eventually the beast is going to turn on the harlot and devour her in most brutal fashion. Now please note – Revelation 17-18 also speaks of how God has put it in the beasts heart to eventually turn on the New Testament harlot and devour her too.
Apply: Friends, I hope you can see that the harlot in Revelation 17-18 is simply those in GODS UNIVERSAL CHURCH – who are unfaithful, compromised and apostate. We know from Scripture that not everyone in Israel was a true Israelite (Rom.9:6). We know from Scripture that not everyone in the church who says Lord, Lord will enter the Kingdom of heaven (Matt.7:21). The reality is – we know the church has and always will be full of impostors who persecute Gods true children.
Satan doesn’t simply attack the church from WITHOUT through the beast. Satan also attacks the church from WITHIN through the harlot. FIRST this means we need real discernment in what is happening in the churches to which we belong. Your first loyalty should never be to a particular denomination. Your first loyalty should be to Jesus as King. I want you to know I am a Christian first and an Anglican only in so far as it is faithful to Jesus.
SECOND, you need to test everything your told by church leaders against Gods word. They cannot command you to do anything that contradicts Gods Word, nor should they demand anything that is NOT clearly evident in God’s Word. Anything beyond or besides Gods Word is coming from the evil one Satan – often simply to satisfy conditions of the beastly state. So, keep testing all things by Gods Word.
THIRD, please know that the bigger churches (and bigger denominations) become the more agreements and covenants they have with the kings of the world. The bigger churches become the more they have to lose if they don’t dance the dance. And the more covenants that exist the easier it is for the kings of the world to tighten the screws.
I think we saw some of this during the Covid pandemic. The state said jump and the church said how high. I’ve also witnessed that the church is now willing to sacrifice their good and faithful children to the state, in order to meet demands of the state. This is the sad reality. IT’S NOT TO SAY that everyone in high church leadership is evil or intentionally doing evil. But they are increasingly compromised. Sadly, in the ROYAL COMMISSION INTO CHILD ABUSE in Australia – the state lifted up the church’s skirt and exposed our shameful nakedness. The church in Australia was shown 1) not just to be a harlot, 2) but a paedophile. At this point the TABLES OF POWER between church and state seriously turned. The church was forced to surrender to the state and has been on the back foot ever since. Of course, this was probably deserved because great unfaithfulness was happening in the churches.
Apply: So please understand that being a faithful Christian in today’s church is not easy. We are being attacked 1) from WITHOUT by an increasingly beastly state. And we are being attacked 2) from WITHIN by an increasingly harlot church. In Australia the Church now has to dance to the states demands, rather than Jesus demands – because a few years ago they were caught with their pants around their ankles.
So, the state now says JUMP and the church in Australia says how high. If I was asked what the harlot in Revelation 19 might look? I think I’d have to say; “Much like the church in Australia, England and America today”. THE WESTERN CHURCH is now on the backfoot and willing to make all sorts of compromises with the state, simply to retain the little bit of power they have left. But thankfully – Jesus is still the true King and he is coming for his faithful bride soon. So keep listening to him – especially as the church becomes more and more popish – demanding all sorts of things that can’t be supported by Scripture – simply to satisfy the beast.
